Review: The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

Generations of twin goddesses have long ruled Aeon. But seventeen years ago, one sister’s betrayal defied an ancient prophecy and split their world in two. The planet ceased to spin, and a Great Abyss now divides two realms: one cloaked in perpetual night, the other scorched by an unrelenting sun.

While one sister rules Aranth—a frozen city surrounded by a storm-wracked sea —her twin inhabits the sand-locked Golden City. Each goddess has raised a daughter, and each keeps her own secrets about her sister’s betrayal.

But when shadowy forces begin to call their daughters, Odessa and Haidee, back to the site of the Breaking, the two young goddesses —along with a powerful healer from Aranth, and a mouthy desert scavenger —set out on separate journeys across treacherous wastelands, desperate to heal their broken world. No matter the sacrifice it demands.

I have a bit of a bugbear about books written from lots of POV's, it has to be done really really well otherwise my attention span just doesn't connect and I forget who is narrating each particular chapter and it all blends in together and I just get from the book what I guest I'm meant to get from it. I class it as sort of 50% my own fault and 50% the author's. In this case, I really did try because I loved the world building and I wanted to love the story and characters - I didn't want to come away feeling unfulfilled but unfortunately I sort of did.

Firstly, let me tell you what I really enjoyed about this book. As I said above, the world building was fantastic. I would say that this book has one of the best fleshed out settings in current YA fantasy because it incorporates mythology and science and magic and I found it so rich. Despite what I'm going to say below, the author's voice was so rich and strong and the writing style was so good I would love to read more from her - I've avoided her previous novels as I struggle with horror sometimes.

That being said, my main issue is as stated above. The changing narration threw me, and I didn't feel like each character had their own voice. As a result I got bored. This is a long book at nearly 500 pages and it felt a lot longer to me. I struggled to get through it and I never connected well with any of the characters, ergo I never really connected with the plot or the story.

This is one of those books which I feel guilty for not loving, because it had so much potential and it was so well thought out, I just really struggled with the narrative and since that is what drives a story, it detracted so much from all of those good point.

I won't be continuing this series, but I will definitely be reading Chupeco's previous works and any future releases not in this story.

Book released  15th October 2019 by HarperTeen

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill

Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force.

So much sadness. So much disappointment.

What had so much potential to be a top fantasy novel in the vein of Poison Study or Graceling lost it's identity in a mix of predictable characters and laughable cliffhangers. The romance was so shallow - if you're going to do a romance between a girl and her father's apprentice, at least make it like Riley and Beck in the Demon Trapper's series. Don't let is get washed down by tropes and predictability and shallowness.

Look, I had so many high hopes for this book. I wanted Britta to be this strong independent woman who don't need no man but I have no idea how she got so far in life, she was so completely incompetent and blind to the most obvious things. Obtuse is the word. Yes, obtuse. Don't even get me started on Cohen, the love interest... who apparently smells very very nice. I don't care Britta.

And what is this new fantasy trope of having the main character almost be the victim of sexual assault. I just can't with it.

I could go on and on about how I just did not enjoy this book and how I am so let down by where it went but I won't. I'm just going to shut up and end this review knowing that I most certainly will not be picking up the next in this series.

Book released 27th December 2016 by HarperTeen

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: The Queen's Rising by Rebecca Ross

When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron. Growing up in the southern kingdom of Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her. While some are born with an innate talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she belatedly chose to study knowledge. However, the solstice does not go according to plan, and she is left without a patron. Months later, Brienna’s life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Though she’s suspicious of his intent, she has no other option, and must accept. But she soon discovers that he has big plans for her future. For there is a dangerous plot being planned to overthrow the king of Maevana—the rival kingdom of Valenia—and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the northern throne. The question is, who will be that queen?

Before I even begin this review I want to state that I did enjoy The Queen's Rising. It kept my interest for a long train journey and despite a rocky start - it took me a good 70 pages or so to really get reeled in- by the end of the book I sort of didn't want it to end.

That being said, on a completely critical note, some parts of this book just sort of fell flat for me. For example, at some points the dialogue just got a little bit too casual and didn't seem to fit the world that Rebecca Ross was trying to build. It pulled me out of the story a bit. On the other hand, sometimes the prose went a little too old-fashioned and it just didn't work, like a six year old trying to write a Shakespeare play.

That all being said, I did so love the plot of this book. The whole Anglo/Celtic style background and the flawed main character. I loved Brienna because she starts of the book not knowing what she wants in life and finishes it with a family and a life and a purpose. Despite the initial ickiness of the relationship between her and Cartier - which to be honest could have been erased just by getting rid of the scene where they first meet (she's ten, he's an adult) - I began to care about the two of them. I think the whole thing stemmed from the age difference because it's only around halfway through the novel that it becomes clear that he's not like fifty and is only like seven years older.

I would have liked more explanation on the magic side of things, and a little bit more time to get used to the Maevana side of things because everything felt a little too fast in the second half of the book, but I still connected with the people who really mattered on the plot.

Overall, The Queen's Rising was a good book with some twists and turns and some fun characters. I loved the world, but felt that the lore and characters were not as fleshed out as I would like. Because of some iffy prose and bad pacing, I was a little pulled out of this book but will still definitely read the sequel!

Book released 6th February 2018 by HarperTeen

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.
But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest…but she may be the darkest.

Kendare Blake is such a consistently good author. I loved Anna Dressed in Blood and I enjoyed Antigoddess, by this point I am obligated to enjoy everything to woman puts out. Three Dark Crowns was in no way an exception.

Now, I think part of the reason I can't say I adored this book is to do with the fact that recently I have been on a run of shallow, cute contemporary reads and Three Dark Crowns was much darker and much more loaded than anything that I read recently. That being said, I still really really enjoyed this book and I can honestly say Kendare Blake has done it again. #KendareBlakeHasDoneItAgain, can we make that a trending hashtag?

This book is about three sisters - more like strangers than family - that have been brought up in different environments with the same knowledge - two must die, one must live. We join the girls a few months before the Ascension Year - the year they have to battle to the death - and we see their development up until then. 

To start with I wasn't 100% keen on the split points of view, but because each of the girls had such unique personalities and voices, I didn't find myself getting confused and it started to work for me. Now, I have to say that my favorite of the three Queens was Katharine, so I enjoyed reading her parts more than the other girls, but each arc and the overriding main story kept me hooked anyway. My favorite bit was where they all came together and things started to go a bit cray-cray.

Now the end is written to shock, but with regards to Arsinoe's discovery I had already sort of guessed that - Katharine's ending was a shocker though, and almost a literal cliffhanger, so I am definitely hooked into wanting the next book already, because this is a story that is nowhere near finished yet and I can say that I am absolutely hooked.

There isn't much more that I can say about this book - Kendare Blake has proved once again that she is a brilliant author and world builder, and my faith in her has grown even stronger. I seriously enjoyed this book, even despite a few flaws which keep it from getting the very top ratings.

Book released September 20th 2016 by HarperTeen

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Ruined by Amy Tintera

A revenge that will consume her. A love that will ruin her.

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.

I'm not sure where to start with Ruined... is it the brilliant world building? The fantastic characters or the slow burn romance? I don't really know how to start this review, because this book had so many brilliant things about it that I feel like I have so much to squeeze into this review, and I generally like to keep my reviews pretty concise.

I loved Reboot by Amy Tintera (review here) and Ruined didn't exactly live up to that level of enjoyment, but it was still a bleeding brilliant book. I loved how our protagonist is kicking ass from the first page. I immediately knew that I was going to adore Em, and I absolutely did. She was a girl on a mission and at the beginning she wasn't going to let anyone get in her way, which made for some awesome scenes of character development and internal conflict when she begins to get to know the handsome prince (Cas) that she aims to kill in revenge for the slaying of her people and the kidnapping of her sister. Em and Cas has a slow burning romance that really worked for me and that also made me happy. I did find that in scenes later in the book Cas became more of a loyal puppy than someone with his land's best interests at heart, he lacked personality and conviction but thankfully Em has enough for the both of them.

What really stood out to me was the fact that Em is a squib. She comes from the royal line of Ruina, a country who's inhabitants wield strong magic, but Em herself has no grasp of this magic. Her strength comes from inside and she doesn't let her lack of power hold her back. She was a character that I genuinely rooted for, despite a few silly mistakes.

Yes, this book does have mistakes. I felt that at times the humour was a bit too much and ruined the darker vibe of the book. Not every YA character has to be witty all the time, especially when an author is trying to make us feel serious about something. As well as that, I felt that the first half of the book was a lot stronger than the second half. I liked Em infiltrating the castle, but came to dislike the whole running through the woods part in the second half. That being said, the whole book was gripping.

Overall, Ruined was a strong book with an amazing heroine and a gripping story. I loved everything about the romance and the characters in this book.

Book released 3rd May 2016 by HarperTeen

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins

Kill the beast. Win the girl.

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear.

The start of this book was slow, but that's about where the flaws in this book stops. As soon as the plot picks up after the first couple of chapters I was hooked - and as soon as we get to know Paxton I was in love. Damn, the relationship between Aerity and Paxton -  I was so sold by every aspect of it. I loved them both individually and I loved them both together. Aerity was the perfect heroine - she's a princess, but she's not afraid of stepping over her bounds and she isn't stuffy. I expected Aerity to be a stuffy main character, as did Paxton, but she wasn't. Paxton was also an amazing human being, he was upright and hid himself away a bit, but he has his reasons for it.

At the start, there was a lot of information given to us and it was difficult to keep up, but throughout the book I began to understand the characters, the setting, the magic and it's history. It was such a brilliantly crafter setting and I just loved it so much. At first I felt the whole plot set up was ridiculous, but the great beast is terrifying and Aerity's father had absolutely no other options but to offer Aerity's hand to anybody who could hunt the great beast. It led to some brilliantly written action scenes as well, I love me some brilliantly written action scenes.

This is the first book by Higgins that I have ever read and I will read the others.  This was such a well written and engaging stories, it's rare these days that anything takes me off guard - I definitely enjoyed The Great Hunt much more than I had expected and I honestly cannot wait for the next  book to be released!

Book released 8th March 2016 by HarperTeen

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie

Sonya was born with the rare gift to feel what those around her feel—both physically and emotionally—a gift she’s kept hidden from the empire for seventeen long years. After a reckless mistake wipes out all the other girls with similar abilities, Sonya is hauled off to the palace and forced to serve the emperor as his sovereign Auraseer.

Tasked with sensing the intentions of would-be assassins, Sonya is under constant pressure to protect the emperor. One mistake, one small failure, will cost her own life and the lives of the few people left in the world who still trust her.

But Sonya’s power is untamed and reckless, her feelings easily usurped, and she sometimes can’t decipher when other people’s impulses end and her own begin. In a palace full of warring emotions and looming darkness, Sonya fears that the biggest danger to the empire may be herself.

As she struggles to wrangle her abilities, Sonya seeks refuge in her tenuous alliances with the volatile Emperor Valko and his idealistic younger brother, Anton, the crown prince. But when threats of revolution pit the two brothers against each other, Sonya must choose which brother to trust—and which to betray.

What a gorgeous, amazing read.

Burning Glass took a while to reel me in - from the start I wasn't even sure I would finish it - but when it did, after the first few chapters boy was I hooked. Burning Glass is waaaaay too long to be this good - I couldn't put it down and consequently I couldn't make food, I couldn't get ready for work (I was late and I debated pulling a sickie to finish this book). It was just... wow. Amazing.

Sonya, Anton, Valko, Pia... what amazing characters Purdie has written. She has created a dark and dangerous love triangle, a character with as many damning qualities as redeeming qualities and best of all, she made me like a character before killing them off! That, Purdie, is genius. I actually came to care about the character and as a result I totally believed in Sonya's rampage for revenge - thank you!!!

The writing and world building is so rich and fascinating and well done. I love how Purdie let us learn slowly the powers of the auraseer, as opposed to dumping it all on us so it felt forced. 

I just... can't even find words.

Yes, Burning Glass has potential to be more, Sonya has all the potential to become a badass like Celaena or Katsa, but I think that if this is Purdie at her debut, I cannot wait to see what she comes out with in a year's time.

Book released 1st March by KatherineTegen

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: Sword and Verse by Kathy McMillan

Raisa was just a child when she was sold to work as a slave in the kingdom of Qilara. Despite her young age, her father was teaching her to read and write, grooming her to take his place as a Learned One. In Qilara, the Arnathim, like Raisa, are the lowest class, and literacy is a capital offense. What’s more, only the king, prince, tutor, and tutor-in-training are allowed to learn the very highest order language, the language of the gods. So when the tutor-in-training is executed for teaching slaves this sacred language, and Raisa is selected to replace her, Raisa knows any slipup on her part could mean death.

Keeping her secret is hard enough, but the romance that’s been growing between her and Prince Mati isn’t helping matters. Then Raisa is approached by the Resistance—an underground army of slave rebels—to help liberate Arnath slaves. She wants to free her people, but that would mean aiding a war against Mati. As Raisa struggles with what to do, she discovers a secret that the Qilarites have been hiding for centuries—one that, if uncovered, could bring the kingdom to its knees.

Sweet mother of fantasy worlds, what an amazing setting. Holy father of intelligent protagonists, thank you for giving me Raisa. Seriously, I cannot express in the English language how much I loved Sword and Verse. This, and The Imposter Queen by Sarah Fine have joint responsibility for renewing my faith in Young Adult fantasy as a genre. Sword and Verse  just blew me away.

Can I just say READ IT over and over again and call that a review? No? Okay... let me just tell you why you should read it:

Sword and Verse is one of the most well-imagined, well-developed and well-executed piece of young adult literature I have read in a very long time. The world was so exquisite in the descriptions and the characters were just so well developed. The romance was infuriating in the best way possible and the action was gripping. Raisa is one of the best YA heroines I have read in so long, not only is she actually intelligent and not the naive airhead we so often get in this genre, she is also tough and sly. She does get hurt though, and I like that - she is driven and strong-willed, but she is just as vulnerable as the rest of us when it comes to heart break.

Ahhh, heartbreak... Mati! Stop breaking my heart... he was just so swoonworthy but I was so frustrated with his sometimes. You could tell that he truly cared for Raisa but at the same time he didn't always do what was best for her - the whole relationship put her at risk and he didn't seem to consider that. Still, the ending was exactly how it should have been so I can't complain.

The book is a standalone, but a sort of sequel from another character's POV is in the works and my only hope is that it wraps up a couple of the loose ends and fills the void I already feel as I don't have any other opportunities to read MacMillan's exquisite writing at the moment... just write more things, please.... quickly?

Book released 19th January 2016 by HarperTeen

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: The Imposter Queen by Sarah Fine

Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by magical priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

I haven't had a good time for fantasy recently, but after reading The Imposter Queen  and Sword and Verse (another upcoming January release) back to back, I have hope again. This was one of those books that took a while to grab me, mostly because the first 20% or so is worldbuilding and not much happens, but after that I was gripped and I just devoured this book. The world is so rich and the magic is so... well written, I had flashbacks to the first time I ever read Poison Study, one of my all time favourite books ever.

Now this book doesn't stand up to Poison Study or Graceling, but I think it could stand alongside series such as Red Queen and possibly even Throne of Glass to be one of the best current ongoing fantasy series. I loved the rich world that Fine developed, with the Valtia and the Saadella and the Suurins and all of these parts of this world that made it so very special. Fine has a way of giving us the information that we need whilst also avoiding the much-dreaded 'infodump', and that is commendable when developing a world as intricate as the one in The Imposter Queen.

Elli was a brilliant character, naive because of how she has been brought up but also mature in so many other ways. I loved watching her personal development, as well as the growth of her relationships with other people - the girl goes through a lot and it really shows her sincere reactions.

I loved the romance with Oskar, but I did feel somewhat let down - the beginning of the book had references to a possible lesbian loveline between Elli and her handmaiden, but this all amounts to nothing. I had been so excited - lgbtq is quickly becoming a key genre in YA contemporary but in fantasy and paranormal it's still widely ignored, I thought this book may make some waves, but despite subtle references the end romance is completely heterosexual. Don't get me wrong, Oskar was absolutely perfect and is totally going on my book boyfriends list and I loved the romance between him and Elli, but I would have liked this book to be a little more daring with the gay route.

Overall, I can honestly say that this is going to be one of my new favourite series. The first one hasn't even been released and I am totally gagging for the next one. Fine, you have definitely impressed me with this rich, beautiful and exquisite fantasy. Yes, it didn't feel absolutely perfect because of the slow start, but the rest of it was flawless.

Book released 5th January 2016 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Dude. DUDE!

This book though! This book!!!

Sarah J. Maas's world must have turned on it's head when the amazing Throne of Glass series got as big as it did, and rightly so. In a world where the YA market is saturated with fantasy books which are honestly a little bit meh, this author is one that brings back the magic that made authors like Robin McKinley and Kristin Cashore and Maria V. Snyder as great as they were. Sarah Maas just has this fantastic way of building a world and characters that we really care about. From step one of this book I loved Feyre and that is the key for me. I cared about her future and her love life and what she goes through. She was such a strong independant character but she is thrown into this world where that isn't enough.

Enter Tamlin, a high fae that made me swoon and urgh and mmmm! In his fae form he is a handsome man with a mask covering his face - the result of an awful curse on his world - but he can transform into a beast and beastly men make me go phoar. The love story, for once, is a simple progressive one where you get to see it develop on both ends. It was magic, and whilst the love triangle is there in the latter part of the book, it didn't bother me too much because Tamlin is perfection and there is sexy-times and Feyre and Tamlin forever.

The plot of this isn't altogether very original, it is a spin on the story we see in a lot of fairy YA books, but Maas's writing is so fantastic that it doesn't feel like you're reading the same book again. Man, this woman can write.

Do you see that I am absolutely typing diarrhoea over this book? This was a book that made em melt and gasp and awe, and whilst maybe it wasn't as amazing as Throne of Glass, it was definitely amazing nonetheless.

Sarah J. Maas proves over and over again how worthy she is to be known as one of this generation's queens of fantasy, and I will forever bow to her.

(All hail Queen Sarah).

Book released 5th May 2015 by Bloomsbury

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder

Once, only her own life hung in the balance…

When Yelena was a poison taster, her life was simpler. She survived to become a vital part of the balance of power between rival countries Ixia and Sitia.

Now she uses her magic to keep the peace in both lands—and protect her relationship with Valek.
Suddenly, though, dissent is rising. And Valek’s job—and his life—are in danger.
As Yelena tries to uncover her enemies, she faces a new challenge: her magic is blocked.And now she must find a way to keep not only herself but all that she holds dear alive.

Let me cry. I promise they are only happy tears of complete joy.

Let me tell you something, when anyone asks me what my favorite books are, the Poison Study series by Maria V. Snyder is the first thing to jump to my mind. I have always loved Yelena's story and Valek is my number one swoonworthy man and Ari and Janco are just amazing. As a book blogger I generally don't have time to reread books, but Poison Study, Magic Study and Fire Study are the three books that will always be an exception to that rule. Add Shadow Study to that now.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I heard that Maria V. Snyder was releasing three more books in the Study series. Seriously, I was so happy with where Fire Study left it but I yearned for more about Valek and Yelena (heart mates 4 lyf!!!!!). This book did not disappoint me, at all. I fell back in with the crew like I had never left it.

I love you, Maria V. Snyder. You are my heroine.

The center of the first three books was Yelena learning about her past and her magic and so when she loses her magic in the first chapter of this book I was sceptical - could I enjoy it without that aspect? Yes. Yes I could. I loved Yelena being a little more helpless but still brave and strong. Another massive plus to this book was reading from Valek's point of view and learning about his past. I have always been curious about what makes Valek tick (aside from Yelena) and we got to learn this time! I have always hated the way that they are always apart but my heart ached less when I got to follow Valek's journey as well.

And that ending - WOW! I'm not saying I never saw it coming, but I'm so happy but worried and ugh! I NEED THE NEXT ONE.

Also, the very welcome appearance of characters like Mara and Opal and Devlin made me very happy. I was disappointed with Opal's decision in Spy Glass (Kade was my bae...) but he redeemed himself in this book. REEMA!

I feel like I am now in a book slump for life (or until the next one comes out). I blame you, Mrs Snyder. 

Book released 12th March 2015 by Mira Ink

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

2016. 2016! That is how long I have to wait for book 3 of this series. Where is the freaking justice. Why do I choose to start incomplete series and let my whole entire life revolve around that series and then have my hopes and dreams dashed when I have to wait a unfair amount of time for the third book. Marie Rutkoski, you are not human, nobody human could write a book as awesome as The Winner's Crime, so if you are a robot or an alien from the planet Write and you have super awesome writing skills, why can't you write superhumanely fast?

None of that top paragraph makes sense does it? Oh well...

But seriously, in my review of The Winner's Curse I stated that I was worried that book two wasn't going to live up to my standards. I was so worried that it was going to be a victim of second book syndrome, but that was definitely not the case. Actually, I think I may have enjoyed this one more than the first (if that is even possible). It was full of intrigue, full of passion, full of meetings and misunderstandings and tactics and... well, it was just full of awesome.

Arin and Kestrel spend this whole book dancing around each other, which make the parts where they are together so much tenser, because tense is the only word for it. Their relationship here is nowhere near romantic, it's all need and regrets and disgust and I just could not get enough of it. Seriously, this book ended on the worst cliffhanger ever and I need book three because if  Arin and Kestrel don't get their well needed happy ended  I swear I might cry and give up reading forever.

I seriously don't think I have shipped anything this hard in a very long time.

Marie Rutkoski is an amazing author and she really brings this series to life. I cannot wait to see how she concludes this series. Just wow. This book left me breathless. 

Overall Rating: A+

Book released 12th March 2015 by Bloomsbury Children

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review